The Willows

1880

Claude Monet

Painter, French, 1840 - 1926

Between us and a river lined with buildings on the far bank in the distance, tall willow trees nearly span the height of this horizontal landscape. The scene is loosely painted, and the color palette is almost completely dominated by cool tones of spring, sage, celery, and kelly green, and steel and sea blue. The grasses near us are painted with diagonal strokes that alternate direction and color as they move back toward the river. Golden yellow daubs in the lower right suggest blooms, and leaves on the trees are created with thin, upward strokes and dabs along slender branches. The trees reach high into a sky filled with sweeps of beige, blush pink, and spring green layered over pale blue. The river is a lavender gray, and the low, tightly clustered buildings are painted with a mix of ochre, peach, and denim blue. The artist has signed and dated the work in the lower right corner, though the final digit is illegible: “Claude Monet 188.”

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
On View

West Building Main Floor, Gallery 80

Order reproductions from the Gallery Shop

Artwork overview

More About this Artwork

Article:  Portraits of Trees, a Favorite Subject of Artists

Many artists have painted, photographed, and drawn nature’s magnificent sculptures.

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Purchased November 1880 from the artist by Cahuzac. Dr. Filleau, Paris; purchased September 1883 by (Durand-Ruel, Paris and New York); sold July 1891 to Potter [1826-1902] and Bertha [1849-1918] Palmer, Chicago. (Durand-Ruel, Paris and New York), in 1892. William H. Fuller [d. 1902], New York, in 1893. (Durand-Ruel, Paris and New York), in 1897. Edward C. [d. 1915] and Mary Griffin [1855-1937] Walker, Willistead Manor, Walkerville, Ontario, and Washington, by 1907;[1] bequest 4 May 1937 to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art.
[1] Provenance according to Daniel Wildenstein, Monet: Catalogue Raisonné - Werkverzeichnis, 4 vols. Cologne and Paris, 1996: 2:no. 611.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1882

  • Possibly 7me Exposition des Artistes Independants [Seventh Impressionist Exhibition], Paris, 1882, no. 91.[1]

1913

  • Loan Exhibition of Pictures Owned in Detroit, Detroit Museum of Art, 13-27 February 1913, no. 26.

1915

  • Exhibition of Paintings by French Impressionists, Detroit Museum of Art, November 1915, no. 32.

1957

  • Claude Monet, Minneapolis Institute of Art, 1957, no. 4, as Poplars.

  • Monet, City Art Museum of St. Louis, Missouri, 1957, no. 4, as Poplars.

1958

  • Loan Exhibition of Paintings by Claude Monet, Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, 3 January-2 February 1958, no. 14, as The Poplars.

  • A Selection of Paintings from the Edward C. Walker and Mary Walker Collection, Willistead Art Gallery, Windsor, Ontario, 8-29 October 1958, no. 12, as Willows by the River's Edge.

1959

  • Loan Exhibition. Masterpieces of the Corcoran Gallery of Art: A Benefit Exhibition in Honor of the Gallery's Centenary, Wildenstein, New York, 28 January-7 March 1959, unnumbered cat., repro., as Willows of Vétheuil.

  • French Masterworks: A Loan Exhibition from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, 1 July-13 August 1959, no. 18.

1971

  • Claude Monet: 40th Anniversary Exhibition, 1931-1971, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, Maryland, September 1971, no. 1

1972

  • Conservation in the Museum, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 15 September-22 October 1972, unpublished checklist, as Willows of Vetheuil.

1983

  • La Vie Moderne: Nineteenth Century French Art from the Corcoran Gallery, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; Columbus Museum of Arts and Sciences, Georgia; Mary and Leigh Block Gallery, Northwestern University, Evanston; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Tampa Museum; Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha; Akron Art Museum, 1983-1985, no. 30, as Willows at Vétheuil.

  • Sargent's Contemporaries, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 4 June - 28 August 1983, unpublished checklist, no. 17.

1986

  • Claude Monet, Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo, Madrid, May-June 1986.

2011

  • A Passion for Nature: Landscape Painting from 19th Century France, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, 15 October 2011 - 20 February 2012, no catalogue, as Willows at Vetheuil.

2014

  • Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River, Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 2014.

Bibliography

1959

  • Corcoran Gallery of Art. Masterpieces of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, 1959: 34.

1974

  • Wildenstein, Daniel. Claude Monet: biographie et catalogue raisonné. 5 vols. Paris, 1974-1991: 1(1974):376-377, pl. 611; 5(1991):35.

1996

  • Wildenstein, Daniel. Monet [vol. 1: The Triumph of Impressionism; vols. 2-4: Catalogue raisonné - Werkverzeichnis]. 4 vols. Cologne and Paris, 1996: 2:234, no. 611, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right, last number illegible: Claude Monet / 188[?]

Wikidata ID

Q46630809

You may be interested in

Loading Results